U.S. patent number 5,757,944 [Application Number 08/741,397] was granted by the patent office on 1998-05-26 for headset with adjustable earhook.
This patent grant is currently assigned to GN Netcom A/S. Invention is credited to Finn Jensen, Steve McGugan.
United States Patent |
5,757,944 |
Jensen , et al. |
May 26, 1998 |
Headset with adjustable earhook
Abstract
A telephone headset apparatus is disclosed. This headset
apparatus includes a body having a microphone at one end and a
transducer at the opposite end, an earhook, for attaching the
apparatus to the ear of the operator, and a mechanism, contained
within the body in a movable engagement, for holding the earhook in
a frictional engagement that allows for movement of the earhook,
with three degrees of freedom. The mechanism is located at a point
within the body where upon adjustment of the earhook by the
operator (i.e., rotated, tilted, pivoted) the headset apparatus
remains properly balanced and within the sound envelope of an
operator, for uninterrupted operation.
Inventors: |
Jensen; Finn (Struer,
DK), McGugan; Steve (Copenhagen, DK) |
Assignee: |
GN Netcom A/S (Copenhagen,
DK)
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Family
ID: |
23945323 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/741,397 |
Filed: |
October 29, 1996 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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489801 |
Jun 13, 1995 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
381/385; 379/430;
381/370 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04R
1/08 (20130101); H04R 1/1066 (20130101); H04R
1/1008 (20130101); H04R 1/1016 (20130101); H04R
1/105 (20130101); H04R 5/033 (20130101); H04R
2201/107 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04R
1/10 (20060101); H04R 025/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;381/25,68,68.6,68.7,69,72,74,183,187,205 ;181/128,129,130,135
;379/430,433 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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436377 |
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Oct 1926 |
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AT |
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0 158 391 |
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Oct 1985 |
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EP |
|
60-10999 |
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Jan 1985 |
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JP |
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1377237 |
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Dec 1974 |
|
GB |
|
2036505 |
|
Jun 1980 |
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GB |
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WO 90/10361 |
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Sep 1990 |
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WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Le; Huyen
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Merchant, Gould, Smith, Edell,
Welter & Schmidt
Parent Case Text
This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 08/489,801, filed
Jun. 13, 1995, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A telephone headset comprising:
a body having oppositely disposed first and second ends;
a longitudinal axis extending along the body from the first end to
the second end;
a microphone being connected to the body at the first end, and a
transducer being connected to the body at the second end;
an earhook, having an end portion and a body portion, the end
portion transversely extending through the body at a balance point
intermediate the microphone and transducer, and the body portion
being configured to be held on an operator's ear; and
means for holding the earhook, disposed at least in part within the
body proximate the balance point to allow the earhook to have three
degrees of freedom of movement with respect to the balance point,
such that upon adjustment of the earhook, the body remains properly
balanced and within a sound envelop of the operator's ear.
2. The telephone headset of claim 1, additionally including means
for connecting the headset to a telephone system.
3. The telephone headset of claim 1, wherein the earhook holding
means includes a circular clutch having a throughgoing bore for
receiving and retaining the earhook.
4. The telephone headset of claim 1, wherein the body includes two
cooperating pieces, each of the cooperating pieces including a
recessed portion, the recessed portions defining a well for movably
retaining the earhook holding means.
5. The telephone headset of claim 1, wherein the transducer
includes a vertex for positioning within the ear of the operator
proximate to the ear canal.
6. The telephone headset of claim 5, wherein the transducer is
substantially circular and has a center point, and terminates in a
point different from the center point.
7. A telephone headset comprising:
a body having oppositely disposed first and second ends and a
longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second
end;
a microphone being connected to the body at the first end, and a
transducer being connected to the body at the second end;
a well, being disposed at least in part within the body proximate a
balance point intermediate the microphone and transducer,
an earhook, having an end portion and a body portion, the end
portion transversely extending through the well at the balance
point; and
a clutch, the clutch receiving the earhook, the clutch movably
retained at least in part within the well for movement in at least
two degrees of freedom with respect to the body proximate the
balance point to allow the earhook to have three degrees of freedom
of movement with respect to the balance point, such that upon
adjustment of the earhook, the body remains properly balanced and
within a sound envelop of an operator.
8. The telephone headset of claim 7, wherein the transducer
includes a vertex for positioning within the ear of the operator
proximate to the ear canal.
9. The telephone headset of claim 8, wherein the transducer is
substantially circular and has a center point, and terminates in a
point different from the center point.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to telephone headsets, and in particular to
a telephone headset that is held on the ear of an operator. This
telephone headset is designed to remain properly balanced and
positioned for proper functioning when the headset body and/or the
earhook is moved for adjustment on the ear of the operator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telephone headsets continue to become smaller and decrease in
weight, as electronics become increasingly sophisticated. Several
of these headsets include complex bulky structures for retaining
the headset on the head of the operator such that the microphone
remains in the sound envelope of the operator and the ear piece
remains in the ear of the operator. Other headsets are designed to
attach to the ear of an operator. However, these headsets exhibit a
major drawback in that even slight adjustments will cause the
headset to become unstable and unbalanced, whereby the microphone
portion moves out of the sound envelope of the operator's voice and
the transducer moves out of the ear of the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention improves on the prior art by providing a
telephone headset apparatus that remains balanced on an operator,
within the sound envelope and thus, properly functioning, when the
headset apparatus is being adjusted on the head of the operator.
The telephone headset apparatus comprises a body having a
microphone at one end and a transducer at the opposite end, an
earhook, for attaching the apparatus to the ear of the operator,
and a mechanism contained within the body for holding the earhook
in a frictional engagement that allows for rotation of the earhook.
The mechanism is retained in the body such that it is movable,
allowing for earhook movement having three degrees of freedom
(i.e., rotating, tilting and pivoting). The mechanism is located at
a point within the body where upon adjustment of the earhook by the
operator, the headset apparatus remains properly balanced, for
uninterrupted operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify
corresponding or like components.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the apparatus of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus of the present
invention;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of the present
invention;
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the apparatus of the present
invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the apparatus of the present
invention taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5, with the clutch and
earhook removed;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the apparatus of the present
invention taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5, with the clutch and
earhook removed;
FIG. 8 is a top view of the apparatus of the present invention
detailing movement of the earhook;
FIG. 9 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention
detailing movement of the earhook;
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the apparatus of the present
invention taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 4, with the earhook
removed; and
FIG. 11 is a sectional view in accordance with FIG. 10, with the
clutch having been moved.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the headset 20 of the present invention in use with a
telephone operator 22. The headset 20 includes a body 24 having a
microphone 26 at one end and a transducer 28 at the opposite end.
The body 24 is held on the ear of the telephone operator 22 by an
earhook 30, rotatably mounted in a clutch 34. The clutch 34 is
movably retained in the body 24, and is positioned along the body
24 at a point intermediate the microphone 26 and the transducer 28.
This arrangement of the earhook 30 within the clutch 34, coupled
with the arrangement of the clutch 34 in the body 24, allows the
earhook 30 movement with three degrees of freedom. A cord 36,
received in a protrusion 38 of the transducer 28, allows connection
of the headset 20 to a telephone system (not shown).
FIGS. 2-5 show the headset 20 in greater detail. The headset 20
includes a body 24 terminating in a microphone 26 and a transducer
28. The body 24 is preferably made of two pieces, an inner piece
40, placed adjacent the face of the operator 22 (FIG. 1), and an
outer piece 41, located opposite the face of the operator 22 (FIG.
1). Each piece 40, 41 is preferably tapered such that the portion
of the body 24 at the microphone end has a smaller circumference
than at the transducer end.
The inner and outer pieces 40, 41 also include recessed portions
44, 45 on both their upper surfaces 48 and lower surface 49, that
form a well 50, extending through the body 24. The well 50
frictionally retains the clutch 34 in a movable engagement. The
well 50 is located at a point along the body 24, where the
microphone 26 and the transducer 28 will remain stable and balanced
on the operator 22 (FIG. 1), keeping the microphone 26 within the
operator's voice envelope. The headset 20 remains functional and in
proper operation, when the earhook 30 and/or the clutch 34 are
moved as the headset 20 is being placed onto or adjusted to the ear
of the operator 22 (FIG. 1).
The inner piece 40, in particular that portion that forms the
microphone 26, includes an opening 52 for sound. The portion of the
transducer 28 formed by this inner piece 40, is preferably
asymmetrically conical in shape, for adaptation to the ear, and
terminates in a vertex 54, surrounded by apertures 56, open to the
ambient environment. The vertex 54, and the apertures 56 therein,
are positioned off-center with respect to the generally circular
shape of the inner piece 40 that forms a portion of the transducer
28. This off-center positioning allows the vertex 54 to fit inside
the ear in close proximity to the ear canal, while enhancing the
balance of the headset 20 on the operator 22 (FIG. 1).
The outer piece 41, in particular that portion that forms the
transducer 28, includes radially aligned apertures 57, open to the
ambient environment. The protrusion 38 extends from this outer
piece 41 to receive the connecting cord 36 (FIG. 1).
Turning additionally to FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner piece 40 and the
outer piece 41 combine to form a hollow cavity 60 for housing for
the various electronic (microelectronic) components, such a
microphone unit (not shown), amplifiers (not shown), receivers (not
shown), wires (not shown) and other components typically known to
those of skill in the art for telephone or other headsets. The
hollow cavity 60 at the microphone 26 includes indentations 61
conforming to the shape of the microphone component and guideribs
62 for wires. The cavity 60 includes the well 50, that contains the
clutch 34.
The structural integrity of the cavity 60 is maintained by an
outwardly extending support member 63, on the outer piece 41 that
is received in a cup 64 protruding from the inner piece 40.
Additionally, the inner piece 40 includes teeth 66a, 66b that
receive a perpendicular rib 67 on the outer piece 41 in a
cooperating arrangement for further maintaining the structural
integrity of the cavity 60. Additional support structures for
maintaining the structural integrity of the cavity 60, other than
those described, but well know to those skilled in the art are also
permissible, provided they allow for proper placement of the
electronic components and wires placed in the cavity 60.
The well 50 is designed to contain the clutch 34 in a movable
engagement. The well 50 includes oppositely disposed concave walls
68a, 68b, 69a, 69b on the inner piece 40 and the outer piece 41
respectively, having curvatures approximately equal to that of the
clutch 34. The concave walls 68a, 68b, 69a, 69 extend from near the
center of each piece 40, 41 to openings 72, 74 (formed by the
recessed portions 44, 45 of the inner and outer pieces 40, 41) at
the upper 48 and lower 49 surfaces of the body 24. These openings
72, 74 have lengths less than the diameter of the clutch 34.
Convex-ended members 75a, 75b, oppositely disposed on the outer
piece 41, are positioned to abut the ends of the clutch 34,
preferably at the opposite peripheral ends. This abutment is such
that the clutch 34, and ultimately the earhook 30, can be pivoted
laterally about the body 24 for adjusting the earhook 30. This is
described in detail in FIGS. 10 and 11 below.
The convex-ended members 75a, 75b are received by cut outs 76a, 76b
extending from the inner piece 40. The cooperating structures of
the convex-ended members 75a, 75b and the cut outs 76a, 76b also
function to maintain the structural integrity of the cavity 60.
Alternately, additional convex ended members and cut outs may be
employed and any or all of the convex ended members and cut outs
could be located on either the inner piece 40 and the outer piece
41.
Referring additionally to FIGS. 10 and 11, the clutch 34 is
preferably a lightweight plastic or polymeric disc. A bore 80
extends through clutch 34 and receives a first linear portion 82 of
the earhook 30. The inner and outer pieces 40, 41 include walls
84a, 84b, 85a, 85b extending from a central point and tapered
outwardly toward the upper 48 and lower 49 surfaces. The tapers
combined form an dihedral angle 8, of approximately 20.degree.,
with a single taper being angled at .theta./2 (with respect to the
vertical). The clutch peripheral edge surface 86 abuts the
convex-ended members 75a, 75b, allowing the clutch 34 to be moved
(pivoted), in the direction of the double arrow 87, to positions as
far as where the clutch side faces 88, 89 abut opposite tapered
walls 84b, 85a (shown in FIG. 11).
The inner piece 40 and the outer piece 41 that form the body 24,
are preferably made of lightweight plastics by injection molding or
the like. Alternately, other similar materials known to those
skilled in the art, made by conventional techniques, could be used
as well. These lightweight materials decrease the stress of the
headset 20 on the ear. The inner piece 40 and the outer piece 41
are preferably attached by a friction or snap fit, by having
cooperating (i.e. male-female) edges 90, 91 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and
secured by adhesives, spot welding or the like.
The earhook 30 is configured to the shape of the human ear, for
retention thereon. The preferred earhook 30 includes a first linear
portion 82, a second linear portion 93, and a curved portion 94.
The first linear portion 82 is tapered to include a portion of a
greater outside diameter than that of the bore 80 (FIGS. 10 and
11), in order to be received in the bore 80 with sufficient
friction to retain the earhook 30, and allow for the earhook 30 to
rotate therein (as detailed in FIG. 8 below). This first linear
portion 82 may also include a cut out segment 83 (FIG. 3) to
facilitate movement through the bore 80. Other alternate designs
are permissible, provided they are configured for the human ear.
This earhook 30 is preferably made of lightweight plastic or metal.
It may be coated with an elastomer or other similar material to
provide increased friction, enhancing the retention forces between
the first linear portion 82 and the bore 80 (FIGS. 10 and 11) of
the clutch 34. The earhook 30 may also be padded with additional
soft material if desired, for the operator's comfort.
FIG. 8 details movement of the earhook 30 within the clutch 34.
This functional retention of the earhook 30 in the bore 80 (FIGS.
10 and 11) allows the earhook 30 to rotate about the bore 80 to the
positions for ordinary usage on the ear or storage, detailed in
phantom lines and solid line 95. Also shown is the rotational
capability of earhook 30, as detailed in phantom lines and broken
line 96.
FIG. 9 details rotation of the clutch 34 within the well 50 of the
body 24. The rotation of the clutch 34 (in the direction of the
double arrow 98) allows the earhook 30 to move (tilt) to the
positions, shown in phantom lines for adjustment on the ear of the
operator 22 (FIG. 1).
While the invention has been described in connection with an
embodiment, it will be understood that the invention is not limited
to that embodiment. The invention is intended to cover all
alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included
within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *